Shloka 14

Āśvamedha-dīkṣā-nirdeśaḥ — Scheduling the Initiation and Assigning Protection for the Horse

Devanagari script

तमनुज्ञातुमिच्छामि भवता मुनिसत्तम | त्वदधीना वयं सर्वे कृष्णस्य च महात्मन:,“'मुनिश्रेष्ठ! मैं चाहता हूँ कि इसके लिये आपकी आज्ञा प्राप्त हो जाय, क्योंकि हम सब लोग आप और महात्मा श्रीकृष्णके अधीन हैं!

Transliteration

tam anujñātum icchāmi bhavatā munisattama | tvad-adhīnā vayaṁ sarve kṛṣṇasya ca mahātmanaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai yang terbaik antara para resi, aku ingin memperoleh keizinanmu untuk hal ini. Kerana kami semua bertindak di bawah kewibawaanmu—dan juga di bawah kewibawaan Kṛṣṇa yang berhati agung.”

Word by Word

तम्him/that (person)

अनुज्ञातुम्to permit/allow

इच्छामिI desire

भवताby you / from you (honorific)

मुनि-सत्तमO best of sages

त्वद्-अधीनाdependent on you

वयम्we

सर्वेall

कृष्णस्यof Krishna

चand

महात्मनःof the great-souled one

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kṛṣṇa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes dharmic restraint and humility: even capable figures should seek proper authorization from elders and acknowledge legitimate authority—here, the sage’s guidance and Kṛṣṇa’s moral leadership.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, speaking respectfully to a foremost sage, expresses his desire to proceed only after receiving permission, stating that everyone involved is subject to the sage’s direction and to the great-souled Kṛṣṇa.